Air-cushion sole



' Nov. 27, 1926.

J. HUISKAMP AIR CUSHION SOLE Filed Dec. 24. 1921 3 noauto@ Ms a's/m/a@EN ,4% y lq/"www1 Patented Nov. 2, 1926,.

UNITED STATESr JAMES HUISKAMP, F KEOKUK, IOWA.

AIR-CUSHION SLE.

Applcati'oniled December 24, 1921. Serial No, 524,672.

v This invention relates to new and useful improvements in' foot wear,and more particularly to an air cushion adapted to be disposed betweenthe inner and outer sole of 5 the provision of an air cushion placedbetween the inner and outer soles of a shoe, especially of the welttype, said air cushion to be arranged. between the welt channel vtoprovide for a soft flexible air cushion and also a circulation of airbeneath the foot of the wearer. l

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means forproviding a comparatively dry space between the inner and outer soles ofa shoe as in the present method of constructing welt shoes, it is theusual practice to fill the welt channel between the inner and outersoles with a substance mixed with glue which becomes more zo or lesssoggy in damp weather and does not dry out quickly, but with the use ofmy improved air cushion, a dry space isy always maintained between theinner and outer soles of a shoe and suitable means is provided whereby athorough circulation is maintained between the interior of the shoe andthe air cushion so as to cause a circuf lation of air between the twoshoe soles at all times.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thelnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and shown inthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan viewof ashoe, portions of the upper being cut away to disclosel the upper faceof the inner sole;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View,y a portion of the outer sole being cutaway to show the application of my improved air cushion;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional y view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

`In applying my invention, it is understood that the construction oftheA shoe is carried out in the usual manner and that .the invention ispreferably to be applied to the welt type of shoe, although other typesof shoes may be constructed in such a way that my improved air solecushion can -be readily applied thereto. i

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated Aa top plan view 'of a shoe, the upperportion being broken away to show the inner sole gen erally indicated bythe numeral 1. The

shoe in itself comprises the usual partsincluding the inner sole, theouter sole 2 and the upper portion 3. In forming a welt shoe, the innersole is to a certain depth around the entire edges of the sole,l thematerial cut. therefrom beling extended outwardly at right angles to thesole to f rm a flange and the upper portion 3 of the shoe is arranged atits lower edge adjacent this flange andthe welt 4 usually cut inwardlyis then placed in position around the outer l surface of thelower edgeof the upper, the three pieces are then stitched together, the weltpiece being disposed at right angles to the lower edge of the upperandthe flange formed by cutting the inner sole.

lAttention is called to Figs. 3 and 4:,

wherein the upper, the insole and the welt have been connected togetherby sewing and as the flange generally indicated at 5, which iS out outfrom the outer face of the inner sole, extends at right angles to thebottom of the inner sole, it forms a channel between the flanges uponopposite sides of the inner sole and'within this channel. Instead ofplacing the usual mixture, including glue, I prefer to arrange myimproved air cushion sole within this channel formed by the strip 5which is cut from the body of the inner sole. 0

My improved air cushion sole comgnses a sheet of rubber, leather or anysuitab position'of material generally indicated at 5. Formed upon theouter face of this sheet are a plurality of protuberances 6 which arearranged in transverse and longltudinal alignment throughout the lentlresurface of the sheet 5 and extending cen- K trally through each of-these protuberances to the inner face of the shet 5 is an opening 7,which opens through y.from the top to the bottom, theseopeningsproviding for the proper circulation of air betwen the outer sole 2 andinner sole 1. In order to provide for the proper amount -of circulationbeneath the foot of the wearer, an opening 8 is formed4 in the innersole 1 and communicates with one face of the air cushion sole. Thisopening 8, if found desirable, may be reinforced by means of a metaleyelet By placing this air cushion sole within the channel formed by theconnection between the welt,v the inner'sole and the upper instead ofthe usual mixed fillingY this /space between the outer and -inner solesWill be maintained in a dry condition at all times, as the proper amountof circulation of air will be caused to retain the same in this drycondition. During' the Walking movement of a person, the air iscirculated between the bottom of the i'toot and the inner face of theouter sole. This is due to the tact that as the outer sole ot' the shoebegins to bend with the step, the air pockets are opened, yielding asthe .toot bends and drawing in air just in advance of the pressure ofthe foot. lll/'hen the direct pressure of the foot is on the pockets,they are closed firmly at the top and bottom, sealed by pressure againstthe flat surface of the insole and the outer sole, but when the Jroot isin motion for Walking movement, the air pockets expand and the airbeneath the foot Will be drawn inwardly between the tWo soles of theshoe and again forced out as the pressure of the foot is brought to bearupon each section of air pockets along the entire surface of the outersole.

l wish it to be understood that vvhile l have shown and described thisimproved air cushion as merely applied to the ball of the shoe. it maybe extended as Well under the ball, shank and heel of the shoe. Asstated heretofore, it has been the usual custom to fill in this channelbetween the two selles With a substance mixed with glue, which becomesmore or less soggy in damp Weather and does not dry out very quickly,thus retaining the inner sole of the shoe in a dampened condition :torquite some time, but with the use of my improved air cushion solebetween the inner and outer soles of the shoe, this chamber betweenthese soles will be maintained in a dry condition at all times, and willprovide the proper cushion or yielding eect to the shoe.

Attention is called to the fact that the regular shoe shank stay can beused and grooved or channelled to ive additional air passage to theopening 8 1f advisable.

It should be understood that the protu` berances 6 are preferablyprovided with air the openings beingk aeoaeoe pockets so as to increasethe resiliency of the cushion sole 1n restoring' itself 'to normalcondition when the foot pressure 1s relieved.

is above stated, when toot pressure is enerted the air pockets areclosed firmly at the top and bottom, thus adding' to the resiliency oithe rubber sheet 5 in producing a cushioning elliect. llt Will be notedthat the protuberances are separate and independent by being spacedapart and spread over a wide area of the bottom sole 2 under the innersole l within the boundary of the welt 4L. `When foot pressure isexerted on the inner sole` l 'to compress the rubber sheet against theaction of the protuberances and the air pockets therein, the air Withinthe chamber surrounding the protuberances will be 'forced out of theopening 8 into the inside of the shoe. When theV footv pressure isrelieved the resiliency of the protuber ances, particularly whenprovided with the sealed air pockets, Will immediately cause the innersole l to sprlng back to its original position, thereby drawing air tothe opening 8 into the chamber surrounding the pretuberances. The bottomsole 2 being imperorate or sealed, the air circulation is confinedWholly Within the shoe and therefore onl warm air will be circulated andchilling of the toot prevented.

l claim:

A shoe comprising a sole, an upper secured thereto, an insole Within theupper and spaced from the sole and provided with a central opening, asheet o' rubber arranged betvveen the sole and insole, and spacedprojections on the underface of the sheet and contacting with the innerface et the sole forming parallel, longitudinal and transverse channels,the projections and sheet being provided with openings, each openingextending completely through both the sheet and projections, whereby aircurrents are forced through the opening in the insole upon thecompression of the sheet incident to Walking.

In testimony whereof l anni m signature.

JS HUllgKAMP.

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